IRENA Takes Renewable Innovation & Climate Action to High-Level Events in Asia

Today, more than 40 per cent of the world’s total installed renewable energy capacity is in Asia and the region is responsible for 60 per cent of all renewable energy jobs worldwide. As the global energy transformation advances across the world, Asia has become its catalyst. Domestically however, renewables have become essential to the achievement of sustainable development goals and climate ambitions.

In support of these objectives, IRENA will host and participate in a series of high-level renewable energy events in Bangkok from 2 to 5 September, spanning the ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting, the Agency’s second Innovation Day, and the UN’s Asia-Pacific Climate Week — the latter taking place only a few weeks ahead of the Climate Action Summit to be convened by the UN Secretary General.

The Agency’s Director-General Francesco La Camera will engage with Southeast Asia’s policy makers and further the Agency’s agreement to support their energy transitions, on 4 September during the ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM). IRENA will take part in the Joint Opening Ceremony of the 37th AMEM and Associated Meetings and the 2019 ASEAN Energy Business Forum.

On the same day, IRENA will host its second Innovation Day as part of the ASEAN Energy Business Forum. The regional event will connect experts and policy makers and showcase emerging innovations that support a broader and faster uptake of innovative renewable energy. IRENA’s Director-General will attend the opening, and with Permanent Secretary of Thailand’s Ministry of Energy Kulit Sombatsiri, deliver a keynote welcoming addresses.

Innovation Day Thailand: Solutions for Renewable-powered Future will welcome a keynote address from International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director, Dr Fatih Birol, followed by a number of sessions covering solutions to decarbonise road transport, digital solutions for renewable power, and solutions for energy storage.

UN Climate Week

On 2 September, IRENA will participate in Asia-Pacific Climate Week — a UN organised event designed to advance regional climate action and support the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement on climate change in Asia-Pacific countries.

The Agency’s focus will be on the NDC Dialogue, a platform that will allow countries to exchange lessons learnt and best practices in the implementation of NDCs and debate issues such as financing strategies and solutions to the pollical and technical challenges associated with NDCs.

On 3 September IRENA will facilitate the energy transition session on addressing energy challenges in the Asia-Pacific Region, and an IRENA organised side event on innovative solutions for a renewable-powered future will discuss innovations the various benefits of leveraging synergies among them and other innovations in market design, business models and system operation. At the Action Hub, IRENA will present the socio-economic benefits of the energy transition and facilitate the energy transition breakout session on energy efficiency in Asia.

On 4 September, IRENA will participate in the High-level plenary on Long-term Strategies and Decarbonisation, followed by the Energy Transition Capacity Building Session on deep decarbonisation of the energy sector and financing the energy transition on 5 September.